Chain-tightener.



T. s. poumn. CHAIN TIGHTENER.

APPL ICATION FILED NOV. 22. 19l6.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918..

UNITED. STATES PATENT oFFIoEi.

THOMAS s. COURTNEY, or RAsTMoLINE, ILLINoIs, ASSIGNOR To MARSEILLES Cora.PANY, OFEAS'JL MOLINE, ILLINOIS ,A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

GHAIIv-TIGIQITEN R;

T 0 all whom, it may concern j V Be it known that-I, -THOMAS'S. COURT-NEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at East Moline, in thecounty of Rock Island and State of Illinois, have invented certain newand useful Improvements. in Ohain-Tighteners, of which-the following. isa specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

My invention relates to that; class of de vices known as chaintighteners, and has for its object the construction of a tightener, botheconomicaland efi'ectiveflvhich can be readily adjusted and'securelyheld in posltion to preserve a proper tension in a chain to which it isapplied. I

'Referring to the drawings in which similar numerals indicate identicalparts Figure 1 is a side view in part of a grain elevator showing theapplication of my dev1ce.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig.1.

Figs. 3, a, and 5 are sectional details.

I have illustrated my device as utilized to tighten the driving chain ofan elevator,

but it is obvious that it is applicable to a chain wherever employed.The part of an elevator shown includes a frame 1 having bearings 2thereon in which is journaled a shaft 3 projecting beyond the frame andcarrying rigidly mounted thereon a sprocket 4. A sprocket chain 5 on thesprocket passes over a similar sprocket 6 rigidly mounted on a shaft 7journaled in suit-able bearings on the elevator; it is supposed that theshaft 3 is a power shaft operated by a source of power, and through thesprockets 4: and 6 and the chain 5, conveys power to the elevatormechanism.

On the top of the frame 1 is rigidly supported a shaft 8, which ispreferably tubular and forms one of the supports for the ele vator. Onthe shaft 8 I mount my device which includes a sleeve 9 through whichthe shaft 8 extends. Projecting from the sleeve 9, and preferablyintegral therewith, is an arm 10 on the free end of which is mounted, tofreely rotate, a roller 11. The tightener is adjustably secured on theshaft'8 in the following manner. A slot 12 is formed circumferentially,in the sleeve 9 and is of sufficient width to permit the free passage ofa bolt 13 therethrough. Opposite the slot 12 is a similar slot 1 1housed for a portion of its length and having an opening 15 ofsufspecification of Letters Patent. PatentedAug, Application filedNovember 22, 1916. Serial N0.'132,788.

ficient sizeto permit insertion of the bolt 13.

The shaft 8 may be solid,but I prefer to use a pipe or tube for reasonshereinafter stated. Thetightener isplaced upon the shaft 8, before thelatteris secured to the frame 1, and the opening 15 is alined with theaperture'in the shaft 8 through-which the bolt 13 is to pass;. the bolt13 is then inserted through the opening 15, the aperture if a solidshaft is'used, and apertures opposite each other in a tubular shaft, andprojeots a suflicient distance through the slot 12 to provide for a nut16 on its threaded end; On the bolt 13 between the nut 16 and the sleeve9 I employ a washer 17 i to provide a broader contact with the sleeve 9than'the nut '16 will give.

with sufficient pressure to take up any slack thereon, the sleeve andshaft are clamped securely together by turning the nut 16 in the properdirection.

As before stated I prefer to employ, a tubular shaft 8, as shown, sothat when the latter and the sleeve 9 are drawn together,

a continued turning of the nut 16 will cause a lateral expansion of thetubular shaft 8', the diameter of the opening through the sleeve 9 beinggreater than the diameter of the tubular shaft 8, room for expansion ofthe latter is provided'for and the tightener is rigidly held in any ofits various positions of adjustment. It will be noted that the bolt 13operates eXteriorly against the sleeve 9 at only one point in thecircumference thereof, the head of the bolt being in contact with theshaft 8 only.

What I claimis 1. A chain tightener including a sleeve mounted on ashaft and turnable thereon to varying positions, an arm on said sleevecarrying a roller, and a bolt extending through said sleeve and shaftand adapted mounted on a shaft and turnable thereon to varyingpositions, an arm on said sleeve carrying a roller, said sleeve havingdiametrically opposite slots, and a bolt extending through said slotsand shaft and adapted to hold the sleeve rigid with the shaft.

3. A chain tightener including a sleeve mounted on a shaft and turnablethereon to varying positions, an arm on said sleeve movable therewithand carrying a roller, said sleeve having diametrically opposite slots,and a bolt extending through said slots and shaft and operative to drawone side of said sleeve and the shaft together and hold them in rigidcontact.

a. A chain tightener including a sleeve mounted on a shaft and turnablethereon to varying positions, an arm on said sleeve movable therewithand carrying a roller, said sleeve having diametrically opposite slots,and a bolt extending through said slots and the shaft and operativethrough one of said slots only to draw one side ofthe sleeve and theshaft together and hold them in rigid contact.

5. A chain tightener including a sleeve mounted on a rigid shaft andturnable thereon to varying positions, an arm on said sleeve movabletherewith and carrying a roller, said sleeve having diametricallyopposite slots, and a bolt extending through said slots and the shaftand operative through one of said slots only to draw one side of thesleeve and the shaft together and 7. A chain, tightener including asleeve mounted on a tubular shaft and turnalfle thereon to varyingpositions, the shaft'having. a smaller diameter thanthe interior ofthesleeveto" provide aspace between theshaft and the sleeve, an". armon-said sleeve movable thBIBWltlL and CflIIy1Ilg 'L roller, said sleevehaving diametrically opposite slots, and a bolt extending through saidslotsand-the shaft and operative to expand the shaft laterally against;the sleeve andto hold the latterand the shaft rigidly to-.

gether.

Intestlmony whereof'I affix myv signature in preseneeof tW-o wltnesses.

THOMAS S. COURTNEY.

Witnesses Jon BARTHoLoMEw, G. L. LINDsTEDr.

Gopiu of this patent-may. be-o'btalned'foi: five centseaeh,,byraddresslng theflflommiulnet o! Innis-.1

Washington, DAL? I

